Lake Anna Profiles
Welcome to Lake Anna Life.
This part of LKA Life could become your favorite. From time to time we will profile a Laker or Weekender, asking them the same 20 questions everyone gets. The responses will help you get to know what the community leaders and members are thinking, planning, trying to avoid and/or working toward. If you have some question suggestions, please email them to us. Enjoy!
One of LKA's top real estate agents and long time community member starts us off with Lake Anna Life Profile #1. Here's how Toni Yates answered our 20 questions.
1. Full Name - Toni Yates
2. Age - Not for public knowledge, but I'm going to be a grandmother!
3. Birth place - Charleston, SC
4. Family members - Husband, three sons (33, 19, 16), one daughter (15), three horses, two corgies and a German shepherd.
5. Where do you reside and how many years there? Greenway Farm near Lake Anna in Orange County.
6. Please list your LKA business interests. RE/MAX Lake & Country.
7. What brought you or your family to LKA? My husband's job brought him to Fredericksburg. We rented a house unseen at Lake Anna and woke up to a view of the lake. We couldn't buy a house in town after that!
8. Where do you see LKA in 10 years? More full-time people and more amenities.
9. If you could retire today and could any thing you want, what would you do? Volunteer, work with horse rescue and therapy riding programs.
10. Person you admire the most? My husband for his faith and his resolve.
11. What do you see as the top issue to be resolved around LKA? Overcrowding and the quality of life.
12. Describe your favorite day on LKA? Lounging around with a margurita watching my kids and dogs in the water.
13. Why do you think folks are attracted to LKA? It's the lure of the ideal lifestyle, close to everything and away from it all.
14. What do you think the lake needs most? Responsible development.
15. What's been the biggest positive change for you around the lake? The diversity of the people it brings and the friends I have made through real estate.
16. What's been the biggest drawback? Overcrowding and irresponsible development.
17. Where's your favorite place for dinner around LKA? Tavern On The Rail.
18. Fishing, jetskiing, wakeboarding or just sitting on the dock? Gosh, do I have to pick just one? What about kayaking?
19. When you have guests what do you plan for them? Whatever they want to do - there's so much available.
20. How do you feel about the current state of development around LKA? My income and my husband's are both based on development but I can't stand the "quick buck" attitude. Equally irritating is the "now we are here we don't want anyone else moving here" attitude. The must be a balance!
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Lake Anna Life Profile #2 goes to another of the LKA gliteratti. BJ Blount took a few minutes to answer our 20 as well.
1. Full Name- BJ Blount
2. Age - 45
3. Birth place - Fredericksburg
4. Family members - A lot...I think the phrase is "you can't swing a dead cat without hitting one of us" .
5. Where do you reside and how many years there? Private Side non-sub middle pond....just three years there. (LKA Life note: BJ just bought Rockland Farms B&B and told us he plans on moving there after rennovations.)
6. Please list your LKA business interests. Lake Anna Island Realty, Lake Anna Log Cabins, Lake Anna Chamber of Commerce, Lake Anna Yacht Club, BBCR LLC and Lake Anna Island.
7. What brought you or your family to LKA? My great, great, grandfather was a sharecropper from Tennessee and wanted to own his own land.
8. Where do you see LKA in 10 years? Pretty much the same...with a little more commercial toward the services side. A little more tourism as we start to give people a place to stay to enjoy the Lake. There are many good stewarts of the lake to keep it on the right track.
9. If you could retire today and could any thing you want, what would you do? Start a home at Lake Anna for kids that have had a tough life and teach them the whole world isn't against them and there are still places where people care and help each other.
10. Person you admire the most? Outside of my Dad...Ronald Regan and Patrick Henry.
11. What do you see as the top issue to be resolved around LKA? I don't think there are any real issues to be resolved... I think most citizens of Lake Anna are like minded. All want the clean water and services so they can recreate and retire here. Any ISSUES are really between small groups of how to get there, not on the final result. 5% want no change, 5% would pave everything and 90% of us just want to enjoy Lake Anna.
12. Describe your favorite day on LKA? Last year...4th of July...both grandkids there, family and friends, boat ride and fire works...best day ever at Lake Anna .
13. Why do you think folks are attracted to LKA? The atmosphere...most people come from the hustle bustle of the city and they want to relax and enjoy their selves.
14. What do you think the lake needs most? Services... medical center, pharmacy, bank, post office, hotel, and more restaurants
15. What's been the biggest positive change for you around the lake? The involvement of the citizenry.
16. What's been the biggest drawback? The amount of services for our citizens. we pay on percentage the highest taxes in the 3 counties and we have no services, none.
17. Where's your favorite place for dinner around LKA? Where ever I am with my friends. All of the restaurants have an unique offering.
18. Fishing, jetskiing, wakeboarding or just sitting on the dock? Setting on the dock watching skiers and wake boarders.
19. When you have guests what do you plan for them? Cookouts, dining out, boating , fishing, relaxing and telling stories.
20. How do you feel about the current state of development around LKA? Fair to Good...every new development seems to bring something new and exciting to the table. I would like to see a sports park for kids developed soon and I think we will.
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A long-time retail leader on LKA, here's what Jill G. at Anna Point Marina had to say for LKA Profile #3.
1. Full Name - Jill Gajarksy
2. Age - 43
3. Birth place - South Plainfield, New Jersey
4. Family members - My parents, Al & Carol Gajarsky; 3 siblings - near & far; 7 nieces and nephews
5. Where do you reside and how many years there? Fredericksburg for four years and 11 years at Lake Anna previously.
6. Please list your LKA business interests. Lake Country Marine at Anna Point Marina, General Manager.
7. What brought you or your family to LKA? My father invited me to join him in our first business venture together, The Daily Planted.
8. Where do you see LKA in 10 years? We'll have a Lake Anna "village center" at the Kentucky Springs/Rt. 208 corridor.
9. If you could retire today and could any thing you want, what would you do? Live abroad for six months a year.
10. Person you admire the most? My father, Al, for his drive and ambition.
11. What do you see as the top issue to be resolved around LKA? A "village center" to give Lake Anna a greater sense of community.
12. Describe your favorite day on LKA? A relaxed day with family or friends dockside.
13. Why do you think folks are attracted to LKA? The beauty and peacefulness of Lake Anna and the great community of the full-time residents.
14. What do you think the lake needs most? Amenities and services so that residents don't have to travel to get day-to-day errands completed.
15. What's been the biggest positive change for you around the lake? Relocating Lake Country Marine to Anna Point Marina.
16. What's been the biggest drawback? Not a big enough lake on those popular summer holiday weekends.
17. Where's your favorite place for dinner around LKA? Obrigado's.
18. Fishing, jetskiing, wakeboarding or just sitting on the dock? Riding my Yamaha WaveRunner.
19. When you have guests what do you plan for them? Hanging out on the dock and riding Yamaha WaveRunners.
20. How do you feel about the current state of development around LKA? There's lots of promise and opportunity for those willing to take the risk.
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Chuck Meeks is one of the owners of Lake Anna Marina. He is actively involved in the day-to-day operation of the facility. We asked him our 20 questions for LKA Profile #4.
1. Full Name - Charles (Chuck) Meeks, Jr.
2. Age - 61
3. Birth place - Fort Smith, Arkansas
4. Family members - Wife, Jan, two grown daughters and three grandchildren.
5. Where do you reside and how many years there? Built waterfront home in Wyndemere in 2000.
6. Please list your LKA business interests. Lake Country Marine Group LLC, Lake Country Marine LLC, Anna Point Marina LLC, and First Mates LLC.
7. What brought you or your family to LKA? Introduced by friends to LKA in the 1980's, while residing in Great Falls, VA.
8. Where do you see LKA in 10 years? Much more developed with many needed services and amenities becoming available locally.
9. If you could retire today and could any thing you want, what would you do? Just what I have done, have a full service boat dealership and marina to serve the boating community on LKA and surrounding areas.
10. Person you admire the most? There are many people throughout history, or alive today, that I have tremendous admiration for. But there is only one Jesus Christ. How could one admire anyone more?
11. What do you see as the top issue to be resolved around LKA? LKA is a tremendous, albeit underdeveloped, asset for our state, the surrounding counties and our local municipalities. Government agencies should be proactively promoting the development of small businesses on and around Lake Anna. Unfortunately, there are too many impediments that discourage businesses from locating here.
12. Describe your favorite day on LKA? Being out on the water with my family and friends.
13. Why do you think folks are attracted to LKA? LKA is a very peaceful and relaxing environment. People are generally very friendly and it's simply a nice place to be.
14. What do you think the lake needs most? LKA needs more services and ameniities. Better stores, more restaurants, etc.
15. What's been the biggest positive change for you around the lake? The slow but continued growth taking place.
16. What's been the biggest drawback? Those individuals, groups and government agencies that wish to retard growth in the region and regard the lake as their private pond.
17. Where's your favorite place for dinner around LKA? On my deck, patio or out on the boat.
18. Fishing, jetskiing, wakeboarding or just sitting on the dock? Watching the beautiful sunsets over the lake.
19. When you have guests what do you plan for them? A full day of activity on the water followed by a relaxing dinner on the waterfront.
20. How do you feel about the current state of development around LKA? I support controlled, responsible growth for this area and believe that the people around Lake Anna deserve more than is currently available.
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Dickinson's Store has been serving area residents for over 100 years at the Ware's Crossroads intersection (Rt. 208 and Rt. 652). If you've travelled to LKA, you visited W.A.'s store. Here are his answers for LKA Profile #5.
1. Full Name:
Warren A. Dickinson
2. Age: 56
3. Birth place: Louisa County Medical Center, Louisa, Virginia
4. Family members: Wife: Bettye G., Son: Warren Ashley Dickinson II, Daughter: Tyler Cabell Dickinson
5. Where do you reside and how many years there? Windwood Coves since 1995
6. Please list your LKA business interests: Dickinson’s Store and Dickinsons Store Mini Storage L. C.
7. What brought you or your family to LKA? I was born and raised in Louisa County and grew up right where the store is today. After attending college in North Carolina, I returned home to work at North Anna Power Station in 1973 and began operating the family store in 1977.
8. Where do you see LKA in 10 years? I see this year as the beginning of a lot of growth for this area of the county. I believe it will become a major resort area for central Virginia.
9. If you could retire today and could any thing you want, what would you do? At this point in my life, I would like to travel and be able to enjoy my home and the lake without a lot of obligations.
10. Person you admire the most? My father: Curtis C. Dickinson. He was one of those rare persons that could do anything and had a lot of common sense and ability to enjoy life and love his family.
11. What do you see as the top issue to be resolved around LKA? My major concern is overcrowding and congestion; as in homes and traffic
12. Describe your favorite day on LKA? Taking weekday boat rides and enjoying my children and their friends wakeboarding and wakeskating.. I enjoy driving the boat for them.
13. Why do you think folks are attracted to LKA? First of all, the beauty. Also, it’s accessibility from so many major urban areas.
14. What do you think the lake needs most? A venue that can be rented to accommodate large gatherings such as weddings and other large group events.
15. What's been the biggest positive change for you around the lake? The development of the Lake Anna Rescue Squad and the enhancement of the emergency medical staff by Louisa County.
16. What's been the biggest drawback? Capabilities of highways/roads to handle summer traffic and the dangerous conditions that develop when lake water level is low.
17. Where's your favorite place for dinner around LKA? My family and I enjoy the variety of foods offered by all the restaurants on the lake and we try to support all of them.
18. Fishing, jetskiing, wakeboarding or just sitting on the dock? I love sitting on my dock, that’s one of my favorites. I also enjoy being the boat driver when my children and their friends are wakeboarding.
19. When you have guests what do you plan for them? Usually a tour of the area that includes the lake if they are not familiar with the area and of course, weather permitting a boat ride.
20. How do you feel about the current state of development around LKA? I think it’s good and very well planned.
